1. Field of the Invention
This invention is an improvement on the seismic connector disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,600, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In my said U.S. patent, I show a seismic electric connector assembly which comprises a pair of cooperable plug members, each having an elastic insulator base for carrying a plurality of engageable male and female electric contacts in opposed end faces of the plug members. Each male contact has a convex surface and each mating female contact has a concave surface. The base of the concave surface is inclined at an acute angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the contact, i.e., relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of contact pressure.
When the convex and concave contact surfaces first touch each other, there is no misalignment between the axes of the male and female contacts. When the plug members are further moved into mating engagement with each other, pressure between the mating convex and concave contact surfaces is increased. The inclination of the concave contact surface causes the male contact to shift laterally. This displacement produces a desired wiping action which is essential to clean dirt, sand, oxides or other foreign particles from the contact surfaces.
This wiping lateral movement is possible since the base containing the contacts is elastically resilient. With this wiping motion, most dirt particles are pushed to one side and finally fall out of the concave contact surface. At the same time, the mating convex and concave contact surfaces wipe each other.
It is an object of the present invention to improve on the self-cleaning ability of the mating contact surfaces.
It is another object of the invention to increase the contact pressure between the mating contact surfaces as the plug members are moved into mating engagement with each other, and simultaneously mechanically isolate the contacts against their tendency to follow the motion of each other.
It is a further object of the invention to reduce the cost of manufacturing the male and female contacts and at the same time increase their structural stability without reducing their conductivity characteristics.